As A Place in the Sun’s Jonnie Irwin reveals terminal cancer diagnosis – the 8 signs you must never ignore
A PLACE in the Sun's Jonnie Irwin has revealed he 'doesn't know how long he has left to live' following a terminal cancer diagnosis.
The 48-year-old was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2020, which has now spread to his brain.
Irwin revealed the first warning sign of his illness came while he was filming A Place In The Sun in August 2020 in Italy, when his vision became blurry while driving.
“Within a week of flying back from filming, I was being given six months to live,” he said.
Speaking to magazine, he said he now wants to do as much as he can with wife Jess, 40, son Rex, three, and two-year-old twins Rafa and Cormac.
"I don’t know how long I have left, but I try to stay positive and my attitude is that I'm living with cancer, not dying from it," he added.
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The Escape to the Country host was initially told he had six months to live and since then has prolonged his life against the odds with cancer drugs and chemotherapy.
KNOW THE SIGNS
For Irwin, the first warning sign was blurred vision, but what are the other warning signs of the disease?
It can be hard to spot, as the states there are often no symptoms in the early stages.
In most cases, a person will present with symptoms as their disease progresses.
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The main symptoms listed by the NHS include:
- A cough that does not go away after three weeks
- A long-standing cough that gets worse
- Chest infections that keep coming back
- Coughing up blood
- An ache or pain when breathing or coughing
- Persistent breathlessness
- Persistent tiredness or lack of energy
- Loss of appetite or unexplained weight loss.
While these eight symptoms are the most common, the NHS says there are also some less common signs to watch out for.
These include wheezing, a hoarse voice, swelling of your neck or face, persistent chest or shoulder pain or difficulty with pain or swallowing.
You may also experience changes in your fingers, such as them becoming more curved or their ends becoming larger, known as finger clubbing.
You should see your GP if you experience any of these symptoms and in the event of an emergency, always call 999.
LEADING CAUSE OF CANCER DEATH
According to , there are around 48,500 new lung cancer cases in the UK every year, that's more than 130 every day.
It's the third most common form of cancer in the country, accounting for 13 per cent of all new cancer cases, and is he leading cause of cancer death in the UK.
In the US, the American Cancer Society states that there are around 236,740 cases of the illness each year, with around 130,180 deaths from the condition.
The NHS says that lung cancer is usually caused by smoking - although those who have never smoked can also develop the condition.
Official guidance states that smoking is responsible for more than seven out of ten cases.
Experts at the NHS state: "While smoking cigarettes is the biggest risk factor, using other types of tobacco products can also increase your risk of developing lung cancer and other types of cancer, such as oesophageal cancer and mouth cancer."
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However, they also warned that exposure to certain chemicals and substances which are used in different professions could also increase your risk.
This includes jobs where you are more likely to work with arsenic, asbestos, beryllium, cadmium, coal and coke fumes, silica and nickel.
